William Laud, (1573-1645) Bishop of London, Archbishop of Canterbury. The policies of Laud reflected his Arminian views (that free will of man determined personal salvation) and ambitions for the Church of England, which were subjoined by the pursuit of uniformity in the whole of Britain. Laud referred to the “Beauty of Holiness” but the changes […]
Scotland in the 16th century. It is relevant to understanding what was happening in Scotland in the years leading up to the Reformation, to have an idea of the environment in which the common people lived, and eked out a precarious existence. Of particular importance was the change taking place in the towns or burghs […]
Kirkcudbright to Newton Stewart From Kirkcudbright the road does not conveniently run along the shore line until after the Gatehouse of Fleet, although there are several small roads that lead off if you want to wander around the bye ways. The agricultural revolution in the eighteenth century, included the attacks on newly erected fences by […]
A commentary from The Scotichronicon Rev J.F.S.Gordon (1867) about the premeditated murder of Archbishop Sharp. Mr. Wodrow, after having given the Archbishop the charitable epithet of “a bloody and perfidious man,” has the assurance to say, That he came to this fatal exit by no premeditated and formed design; but circumstances offering an occasion, it […]
A Proclamation Declaring Mr Richard Cameron, and others, Rebels and Traitors.Given under our Signet at Edinburgh, the last day of June, one thousand six hundred and eighty, and of our reign the thirty two year. The Proclamation begins erroneously referring to the Queensferry papers as found on Donald Cargil; they were in fact on the […]
The Battle of Langside,13 May 1568 Following the battle of Carberry Hill in June 1567 and her imprisonment in Lochleven Castle the fortunes of Mary, Queen of Scots, took a further downturn. The revelations of her letters to Bothwell had led to her abdication, under pressure from the dissident nobles, on 24 July 1567. On […]
Alexander Leighton D.D. (1568- ca 1643 ) Alexander Leighton was of Scots origin, born about 1568 and educated at St Andrews university and Leyden; his doctorate of divinity was granted at these universities. Sir Ellis Leighton and Archbishop Leighton were his sons. Although able, pious and learned his zealous resistance of episcopacy exposed him to […]
The First Covenant. Ane Godlie Band For the maintenance of the Evangel maid be ye Erle of Argill and uyer Noble men. Subscribed at Edinburgh 3 December 1557. Cited Johnston`s Treasury p24-5 . Hewisons Covenanters, vol i , p11-12 Works of Knox vol 6 p 674. “We, perceiving how Satan in his members, the Antichrist […]
Sir George “Bluidy” MacKenzie of Rosehaugh, Kings Advocate. [Main source: Men of the Covenant, A Smellie, Deluxe edn, v II, p 13.(1908]. Sir George MacKenzie of Rosehaugh sits large in the history of the Covenanters and the later years of the “Killing Time”, not only for his reputation for pursuing them to the death, but […]
The Murder of Cardinal David Beaton or Bethune. David Beaton or Bethune was born at Markinch in Fife in 1494, the third son of seven to John Beaton of Balfour in Fife and Isabel Moneypenny, daughter of Dasvid Moneypenny of Pitmilly. He studied at St Andrews and matriculated 26 October 1511, after which he went […]
THIR ACTIS AND ARTICLES WAR REDIN FACE OF PARLIAMENT, AND RATIFIED BE THE THRE ESTAITIS OF THIS REALM, AT EDINBURGH, THE SEVINTENE DAY OF AUGUST,THE YEAR OP GOD Jm. Vc. AND THRESCOIR YEARIS . Cited Works of Knox, vol 2 p 120-122. This oure CONFESSIOUN was publictlie red, first in audience of the Lordis of […]
Charles II King of Scotland ( February 1649 – September 1651) The end of the Bishops Wars afforded the Scots the opportunity to step aside and avoid becoming involved in the English Civil War that had broken out. But their wishes were disappointed when the Parliamentary party in England approached the Scots for military aid […]
Holland`s role – a refuge for the persecuted. Extract from Exiles of the Covenant, W.D. Carslaw, Gardner, Paisley,1908, p95-98. As early as the reign of David I., who died in 1153, a considerable number of the industrious and enterprising inhabitants of the Netherlands had already settled in Scotland and carried on trade in its eastern […]
Wentworth – the land settlements and religion. Wentworth was not devoid of helping himself either to revenues or from land acquisitions, sometimes for himself, and at other times for his favourites. In his defence is has to be said that such wheeling and dealing was the custom and practice of the day, and to his […]